I have a LOT of articles to post this week because I missed last week's roundup. I'll try to keep most of these pretty short (tough for me) to try to get more articles covered this week. Enjoy.
Cities and Laws
Moses Lake (WA) is continuing to discuss their dangerous dog ordinance. The citizen's committee recommended against breed specific language (they all do once they've done the research) but some city council members aren't convinced (including one man who wants to make the licensing fee for unalterd dogs $150 a year which is ridiculous and a disaster waiting to happen). I don't believe they have the support for the really bad ordinances, but if you live in the area, be sure to keep in touch with the council members there.
Welsh, LA is now looking at adding more breeds to their ban on 'pit bulls'. Their 'pit bull ban' passed in 2002 but now they are looking to add "similarly vicious" dogs to the bill -- including Doberman Pinschers. The law didn't work in the first place because it focused on dogs, not people.
Joplin, MO has nixed the idea of banning particular breeds in the city -- but is still considering laws that would forbid tethering (possibly a good thing depending on how it is written) and mandating spay/neuter (a bad thing, regardless of how it's written). In the past three years, the city has had 65 different breeds of dogs involved in bites or other injuries. If you live in the Joplin area, please help educate them on the problems with MSN, praise them for foregoing breed specific language, and help them craft a solid, responsible ordinance about tethering.
Florence, AL passed a new dangerous dog law that focuses on the behavior of dogs, not the breeds. It seems to be a mostly well thought out law, except for the part where dog that barks consistently can be declared dangerous. That's annoying, but not necessarily dangerous.
Dog Bites
Rochester, MN are looking for a Chihuahua/Jack Russel mix that bit a woman.
A Coral Gables, FL woman was severely attacked by a dog. The photos of the woman's arm are pretty gruesome. This was the second time in a month that the dog had attacked someone. Coral Gables is in Dade County where they have had a long-time ban on 'pit bulls' -- however, people continue to not be safer because of the law because they have still never dealt with the irrespnsible owner issue.
A man shot a Labrador Retriever mix in Plantation, FL that bit a man. The bite was pretty minor it sounds like. We really need to be careful about how much power we give people to just go around shooting animals for very minor bites.
An 18 month old in Spokane, WA girl was attacked by the family dog. The child suffered a minor skull fracture and fortunately is healing nicely. Parents, PLEASE watch your children when they are around your dogs. Dogs are usually great with children, but they do need adult supervision.
A 7 year old Ft. Lupton, CO boy was hospitalized after being bitten in the face by a Chow mix.
A Leigh (UK) man was attacked by a Boxer this week. The UK Dangerous Dogs Act continues to show itself to be ineffective because it focused on dogs and not dog owners.
A two year old girl was attacked this week (again in the UK) by the family's American Bulldog. I cannot stress enough, we MUST focus on responsible ownership -- and parents watching dogs and children when they are together -- instead of focusing on breeds.
A yellow lab that bit a 3 year old girl that led her to be hospitalized has been declared not dangerous by the city of Nampa (ID) and has returned home to its owners. The girl's parents are not big believers in the city's dangerous dog hearings and don't believe they protect the rights of either party.
A 5 year old girl in Decorah, IA was bitten by a black and white Border Collie Cross.
Four 'pit bull' type dogs are were apparently on the loose in the San Joaquin Valley last week. A couple of people appear to have been bitten by the stray dogs. The money line here is from the police Sargeant who said that getting in the middle of the group of dogs is like putting your hand in a lawnmower". Thanks, I'll take the dogs any day of the week vs a steel rotating blade.
Mediots
The headline reads"Dog bites off officer's ear in rescue attempt". Dog sounds vicious, right? Well, apparently a tree fell and landed on a shepherd mix -- trapping it underneith. The officer tried to help the dog, but in the process, the obviously scared, injured dog bit the officer -- taking off part of his ear. Sadly, the officer's attempts to save the dog were in vain as it died from its injuries at the vet's office.
"Three sought in attack, robbery with pit bull" -- it turns out two men assaulted and robbed a manin Greenwood, DE -- while a third person, a female, stood in the distance holding a white 'pit bull' on a leash. There is absolutely no reason that the dog should have been mentioned in the headline here...
Dog Abuse Cases -- once again showing that humans are the more violent species
Chattanooga, TN is stepping up investigations into trying to find people who used dogs for fighting in the area.
A 'pit bull' in Springfield, MO was shot this week. Apparently the dog got free and began roaming the neighborhood. The man shot the dog and is saying that he felt threated by it -- however, there are no independent eye witnesses that can verify that. The dog was not on his property, and he shot off a fire arm inside the city limits. When we mis-inform people about dog breeds, not dog behaviors, we lead to situations where people over-react and create dangerous situations in neighborhoods by discharging firearms unnecessarily. We MUST quit creating a hysteria out there for everyone's safety.
A Sheboygan (WI) man is looking at up to 6 years in the clinker (3x what Mike Vick is looking at) for two counts of animal neglect when he failed to provide food and water to his two 'pit bulls' -- one ended up dying from his starvation. The dogs were kept alone in the basement where they lived in their own feces.
A Forest Grove, OR couple was taken to jail this week after they allegedly beat their dog with a hammer and buried it alive. The dog was recovered by authorities and humanely euthanized in the shelter.
Two men in Canton, GA were arrested this week for suspicion of using dogs for fighting. 11 dogs were seized from the scene.
A Dillon, SC womann arrived home from church last Wednesday to find that someone had broken into her home, put her small Pug into the oven, and turned on the oven and cooked the dog alive.
Officials in Louisiana are trying to track down dog abusers after finding dogs recently with a broken leg, no teeth and a mutilated ear.
An article from Lima, OH points to connections between animal abuse and domestic abuse. I'm not a psychologist, but it certainly seems like people who have a desire to control and threaten will do so on any living creature...whether human or canine.
Seven times you should report dog abuse -- from the Des Moines Examiner.
An abused 'pit bull' in Washington County (MN) has almost completely recovered from acid burns that covered nearly all of the dog's body.
An Amsterdam, NY man was arrested for his role in dog that was mutiliated, with its paws and tail severed and severe burns that was found on his property.
Animal Control and Shelters
The Tri City Animal control (Pasco, WA) is trying to improve their animal control by launching a new low-cost spay/neuter program. These types of programs have been very effective across the country in helping control the animal populations there.
Miscellanious
Here's an article written by the executive driector fo the Humane Society of the Nature Coast (FL) that reinforces that 'pit bulls' ware products of their environment. I don't necessarily think she has all the facts right on this one, but it's not bad.
A St. Louis area woman is safe now after her German Shepherd bit a man who forced his way into her home and tried to sexually assault her.
In yet another great fundraising idea by the folks at Best Friends, they are now putting some of the Vick-tory dogs' faces on wine labels. 10% of the proceeds from the wine sales are going to go to Best Friends' efforts to end dog fighting.
A really good article this week in the Kalamazoo (MI) weekly newspaper that reinforces the importance of socializing dogs for the importance of public safety.
Christie Keith from over at the Pet Connection blog has a great article about the joy of adopting shelter dogs that's worth the read -- the article is from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Kansas City rescuers are trying to find a home for Herbie. Herbie was found with several cuts and swelling in his leg and neck area. The rescuers are calling Herbie a former bait dog -- however, Herbie is actually fine with other dogs, which probably wouldn't be the case if he really had been used for bait. Either way, Herbie seems like a great dog and is definitely in need of a good, loving home.
Here's an interesting story from the Florence, AL Times Daily. It focuses on both the best and the worst of bully breeds -- but the bottom line is that each dog should be evaluated individually. Some of the data in it isn't exactly correct (some more people trying to dispell some myths by creating other ones), but overall is not a bad article.
Saratoga Springs, NY has an article about the Pit Bull Awareness Day event up there.
Winter donation drive is underway for SNKC's Winter assistance program that helps dogs that are left outside during the winter have a warm place to sleep at night.
Local Kansas City Shelter Animal Haven is dealing with the influx of animals as pets are falling prey to tighter household budgets. Many shelters have begun taking food donations so they can help these pets stay in homes during these tough times vs having to take them in.
The Humane Society of the US is looking to replicate programs like the one that was started by Tio Hardiman in Chicago by seeking ministers to reach out to urban youth to begin to tackle the problem of people using dogs to fight by reaching them in their hearts...not with handcuffs.
Have a great week everyone.
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